How to Recover From Water Damage in Your Home

Recover From Water Damage in Your Home

Water damage is one of the most traumatic home situations a homeowner can experience. It can cause irreparable damage to flooring, furnishings and structures like walls. Fortunately, water damage restoration professionals can help you recover from this situation. However, it is important to understand that recovery from water damage may take months.

The first thing to do is determine the source of the water and stop it. This may involve shutting off the water to your house or contacting a professional to turn off a broken pipe. It is also necessary to get rid of standing water, which can lead to mold growth. Standing water can also cause wood to swell and even crack. This means that you will need to remove furniture, flooring and insulation and replace them as needed.

It is also essential to make sure that the electricity is turned off in the affected area of the house. This may require calling an electrician. Once the source of the water is stopped, it’s time to start the restoration process. You will need to inspect the area for structural damage and take pictures of any items that are damaged or destroyed. This information will be important when filing an insurance claim.

The next step is to remove as much water as possible from the affected areas of the house. This can be done by using pumps, submersible pumps or wet/dry shop vacs. It’s best to drain water from a house in stages so that it doesn’t cause the floors and walls to buckle. Once the water has been removed, you will need to use fans and dehumidifiers to speed up the drying process.

How to Recover From Water Damage in Your Home

If you have any porous materials in your home, such as carpeting, you should try to save them if possible. Otherwise, they will be permanently damaged by water and mildew. Porous materials will shrink and deteriorate as they soak up water, and this can cause them to smell or even be toxic to people and pets.

Water stains on the walls can be cleaned with water and bleach, while the floors can be scrubbed and washed with a power washer. If drywall is damaged, it will need to be cut out and patched with new drywall. Then, the patch will need to be spackled and sanded before it can be painted.

If the water damage is severe, you should call a professional restoration service as soon as possible. This will save you money in the long run. The longer the water sits, the more it will cost to restore your home. Additionally, it could lead to serious health problems. Mold spores can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours, and they can spread quickly once they’re in the air.

When calling a company, ask what their water damage restoration costs are. They’ll likely give you a general estimate over the phone, and then will send a crew out to take a more detailed look at the situation. This is one of the best ways to get an accurate figure for the cost of water damage restoration.